


Sleep Deprived

by CrucioAndCoffee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Auror!Alecto, F/F, Mental Health Issues, Prompt Fic, bipolar!bellatrix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-17 12:17:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16095503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrucioAndCoffee/pseuds/CrucioAndCoffee
Summary: Bellatrix is having an episode, and Alecto chooses if she's done or not with Bellatrix completely.





	Sleep Deprived

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a prompt in the FB Group Fairest of the Rare. 
> 
> Prompt: “Every time something goes well, I momentarily forget how much I despise you.”
> 
> Not beta read. Just Grammarly. 
> 
> I'm bipolar and have had episodes like this so... yeah...

War efforts strung her lose, her Lord demanded more of her than usual, and the constant edge she balanced on crumbled beneath her feet. Bellatrix waited for a signal or sign she could relax, but it never came. Nights on end she’d stayed awake on missions, nearly escaping alive, but the damage done to her made her question it entirely.

Alecto was her partner in the Death Eaters and in life, but today she was just a thorn in her side. She’d returned from sabotaging an Auror mission she was put on, and tried to play sweetly with Bellatrix. The sleepless nights left her irritable, angry, and full of restless energy. She’d been awake for at least two days without sleeping, and tiredness was nowhere to be found, anger sitting in its stead.

She stood in the middle of their flat, seething for no reason, with a broken picture frame at her feet. She’d just slammed it down, angered by the mere sight of her sister’s moving photo. Bellatrix kicked the frame away as Alecto entered through the fireplace.

Alecto waltzed up behind her and rested her head on Bellatrix’s shoulder. Her arms wrapped around her middle, but Bellatrix slapped them away.

“The Dark Lord says we can rest for a few days. Our efforts have been effective.” She kissed Bellatrix’s jaw. Her hands snaked back around and clasped onto her hips.

Bellatrix ripped from her arms. “Don’t touch me,” she snapped. She turned and glared down Alecto, who returned a heated one. “Everything is fine then, yeah? Suppose I'm supposed to pretend to love you again?” Her voice felt cold in her throat despite how it burned from dryness.

Alecto recoiled as if she'd been struck. She said nothing, merely eyed her over with intent and anger. Then her gaze went around the room and the various destroyed objects; mostly picture frames, a vase, or other small things they kept around. Bellatrix made fists, infuriated by the gaze, and took a threatening step forward. She reached to pull her wand from her sleeve, but Alecto caught her wrist, squeezing it tightly.

“How long have you gone without sleep?” Alecto asked. It was calm and void of emotion, but Bellatrix saw the jadedness of her eyes. What did she have to be upset about? Bellatrix narrowed her eyes and wrenched her wrist away, rubbing it.

“Been awake for two days, what does it matter? It really doesn't.”

Alecto shifted, taking another look around the room, before heading to the kitchen. Bellatrix followed, energy buzzing in her skin, and she kept on Alecto’s heels.

“You destroyed our flat, again... you’re talking too fast—“

“I am not,” Bellatrix snapped. “I’m talking perfectly fine! What does that have to do with anything?” Bellatrix paced back and forth, drumming her fingers on her hip, watching Alecto carefully.

Alecto rolled her eyes and pulled out a crate of potions from a cupboard. “You threaten me, and not in a fun way, and you can’t stand still.” She pulled out a vial. “Drink this and go to bed,” she sighed.

“I can threaten more if you want,” Bellatrix pulled out her wand and pointed it at Alecto. “I can stop pretending—don’t look at me like that. It’s bloody annoying.” Rage spiked in her voice, a rage she didn’t know where it came from. The grip on her wand loosened but she quickly found it again.

“Fine,” Alecto growled. “You want to hurt me. Do it, Bella.” She stared Bellatrix down, arms wide open. “I suppose I’m nothing, so come on then, hurt me. If you want to stop pretending to care.”

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. Her wand vibrated between her fingers, knowing the spells she could cast, but instead, she lowered it. Her jaw locked, and she ground her teeth, glaring at Alecto, and she tucked her wand away in an aggressive motion.

“You’re bloody annoying Alecto.” Her voice was quieter but still unsteady. “I have too many ideas about how I could hurt you. I can’t decide.”

“You’re condition,” Alecto said, putting her arms down, and thrusting the vial in Bellatrix’s face. “Triggers when you don’t sleep well.”

Bellatrix paced back and forth unable to stand still and glared at the vial. “I don’t need it.”

“I will imperio you if I have to, Bellatrix Violeta Black. Don’t think I won’t.” Alecto’s voice brimmed with a wave of anger she could easily recognize. She sounded like Bellatrix did when she wanted to kill someone—how she sounded now.

“My whole name. I’m so scared,” she mocked. Immediately she ducked as Alecto snapped out her wand and threw a spell her way. It crashed into the back wall of the hall and seared the paint.

Alecto stalked forward and forced the vial into her hands. “You can do whatever you want, but I’m not playing this game. I’ve played it too many times.“ She left the kitchen and stormed into the study down the hall, slamming the door.

Bellatrix rolled the vial in her hands. A sudden dread filling the pit of her stomach. It angered her that she cared, and she squeezed the potion until it cracked and the glass cut her palm. Her back hit the wall, and she slid down it, sitting on the floor in the hallway. Bellatrix curled in on herself, clawing at her sides, the glass, pushing deeper into her palm.

She didn’t know how long she’d sat there, but the sun peaked through the window and cast rays of light into her eyes. It stung immensely, and she recoiled. Footfalls came from down the hall, and Alecto froze as Bellatrix caught a glimpse of her.

“You didn’t take it,” she sighed.

Bellatrix shrugged, holding her hands out. Alecto yanked her up by her shoulder strap and pulled her back into the kitchen.

“Caring for you is like dealing with a five-year-old. I can’t believe I’m still with you!” Alecto went through the crate again and pulled out an identical vial. “Take this or I will curse you.”

Bellatrix took it with her bloodied hand. She stared at it. “I don’t need—“

“Shut up! I say you do. Bellatrix, you do this, all the time. You never want to take anything to help. Just bloody take it.!” Alecto put the crate away and crossed her arms, staring at Bellatrix.

Bellatrix mumbled some curses under her breath and uncorked it. That gaze sent chills up her spine, and she knew that it was reserved for enemies. Alecto looked as if she was about to kill Bellatrix. It was a low move and anger ticked in her, but she drank the contents of the vial anyway.

It went down her throat and soothed its dryness. Bellatrix blinked before looking back at Alecto, the anger coiling in her gut, suddenly let go of all its tension. The energy she had kept her going escape, and she wanted to fall to the floor and sleep.

“Take me to bed please,” she whispered. She leaned back against a counter and wrapped her arms around herself.

Alecto softened her gaze and rubbed a knuckle across Bellatrix’s cheek. An arm wrapped around her and she led Bellatrix to their bed.

“I’m sorry for what I said...” she mumbled sleepily.

Alecto smirked. “Bellatrix, saying sorry? The potion must have worked.” She kissed Bellatrix’s temple.

Bellatrix collapsed into the bed and immediately fell asleep, days without it, and battling her inner issues, exhausting her.


End file.
